Remarried Wife: Mr. Ex, We Will Never Reconcile!-Chapter 65: Awakening: She Finally Sees Him Clearly!
Ian Kane had indeed been cheating on Nina Sullivan for a long time.
That stormy night, while she was leading a search for him all over the hills, slipping down a slope, he was here with her student... in the throes of passion.
Vera Sheridan stared at the two names on the computer screen, her molars clenched, the corners of her eyes a bloodshot red.
To avoid detection, they didn’t book the same room.
But she understood everything now.
Ever since Nina first sent an anonymous text, she had been leading her to catch them in the act.
She had suspected before, time and again verifying her suspicions, which he had covered up. She even suspected he was deceiving her, and consulted a divorce lawyer; yet after pursuing them to The Veridian Hotel to catch them, Ian Kane set her up and deceived her into believing he hadn’t cheated.
Later, when she discovered more signs of his infidelity, he turned the tables on her, coldly neglecting her, making her doubt herself, thinking she was truly at fault.
Even when she found items like condoms in his car, she proactively made excuses for him.
With a mournful lift of her lips, Vera Sheridan calmly picked up her phone, recorded the hotel check-in records from the computer, then exited the interface.
Just as she was about to go upstairs, Maeve Holloway called from faraway Corinium.
Maeve didn’t have time to ask about the meaning of Vera’s text message from last night, her hoarse voice urgent, "Vera, didn’t you say before that Nina mentioned her boyfriend has a birthmark below his right pubic bone?"
Vera, "Yes."
Maeve blurted out, "Quentin Hawthorne doesn’t have that birthmark!"
She had gotten drunk last night, had a careless fling with a handsome guy, and only recognized him as Quentin Hawthorne upon waking.
Nina’s ex-boyfriend.
Maeve felt frustrated at the time!
Vera was momentarily stunned, a sarcastic smile pulling at her lips, "Quentin was never Nina’s boyfriend. The one with the birthmark must be Ian Kane, and they’ve been together for at least half a year."
Ian Kane, to prove his innocence, even undid his belt and dropped his pants for her, but she had run away in fear.
Thinking back now, he had banked on her fear of physical intimacy and deliberately done so.
Vera took a sharp breath.
Suddenly, Ian Kane felt very unfamiliar to her.
On the other end, Maeve felt even more headachy listening to Vera, pulling down the taxi window to catch some air, her soft white neck marked with a few hickeys.
"Wasn’t it said that Nina was spreading rumors?"
Vera closed her eyes briefly, "It’s all his orchestration, constantly deceiving me... It’s not something that can be explained in a few words, I’ll tell you in detail when you return."
Hearing Vera’s words, Maeve was full of questions, thinking quickly, finally understanding her meaning.
It was hard to believe Ian Kane could be so twisted.
Truly cheating, yet trying every way to hide and deceive, was the once deep and unwavering love just a persona, a façade?
Could he be a deeply hidden NPD?
As a psychological counselor, Maeve understood the complexity of human nature and never rushed to label people.
She used to suspect Ian Kane of deliberately emotionally abusing Vera.
But at that time, she thought Ian hadn’t cheated, just minor couple spats.
Maeve was concerned about Vera’s current situation, "Vera, are you okay now?"
Vera appeared calm, "After he provoked my breakdown, I instead overcame my psychological shadow. Don’t worry about me, I’m very calm now."
To her, witnessing her husband’s infidelity was the best form of shock therapy. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
As they say, putting oneself in a desperate situation can lead to rebirth.
Quite ironic, actually.
Ending the call, Vera went up to the second floor, heading to the tea room.
As she pushed the door open, she saw Serena Everett emerging from the bathroom in the tea room.
The woman kept her head down, fastening the braided button on her hanfu collar, tendrils of hair falling at her temples, her cheeks flushed.
Vera instinctively tightened her grip on the doorknob, the next second, she realized everything, pulling a knowing smile.
She suddenly understood that Serena Everett’s past with him was not simply a maid’s daughter seducing a rich heir.
"Sister-in-law."
Serena quickly arrived at the door, seeing her, raised a smile, "Kane’s burn isn’t serious, I brought over the clean clothes he left here after previous engagements."
The woman remained calm as usual, faintly carrying Ian Kane’s woody fragrance and the scent of tobacco.
With a gentle smile, Vera said, "Thanks for your trouble."
Serena smiled gracefully, "It’s nothing. By the way, does your foot still hurt?"
As she spoke, her gaze landed on Vera’s ankle.
Vera, "I’m fine, I’ll go in and check on him."
"Then I’ll head off." Serena left with those words.
Entering the bathroom, Vera found Ian Kane with his back to her, fastening his belt.
The back of his white shirt was wrinkled, still the same one he had before, but his trousers had been changed.
The air was filled with the fresh scent of mint and lotion.
Ian Kane saw her in the mirror, turned around, and looked at her, full of concern, "Honey, I heard your foot hurt, were you in too much of a hurry and twisted it?"
Vera Sheridan quietly watched him, not speaking.
He was cheating yet showed no guilt, still being affectionate to her.
How did he manage to do that?
Ian Kane clearly noticed something was wrong with her, his brow furrowed slightly, taking a step forward, about to caress her face, "What’s wrong?"
Vera lightly dodged, moving around to his back, "I didn’t twist it, it doesn’t hurt anymore."
While speaking, she helped him smooth the creases at the back, "What about you, are you really okay?"
Ian Kane smirked, "I have tough skin, ran it under water in time, I’m fine."
Vera picked up a long black hair from his shoulder, holding it between her fingers and asked calmly, "Why is there such a long hair? It looks like Serena Everett’s hair color."
"It’s thin and long, dark, much longer than mine."
"While you changed, what was she doing here?"
The man was obviously taken aback, the next moment, a hint of hurt flashed in his eyes, his voice turned slightly hoarse, "Honey, sweetheart, don’t let your thoughts run wild, you’re just sensitive because Nina Sullivan got to you, Serena just came in to bring me some clothes and left."
After speaking, he gently hugged her, patting her back, softly soothing, "Don’t dwell on it, have you forgotten how embarrassing it was when you hit me and it became known to everyone online yesterday?"
Vera smelled the subtle scent of perfume on his shirt and couldn’t help but laugh in anger, this was exactly how he had been manipulating her before.
Clearly, he was the one cheating, yet facing her doubts, he played the victim, cruelly poking her sore spots, making her doubt herself, thinking it was truly her problem.
"What wild thoughts am I having? I don’t think I’ve said anything...," she feigned ignorance and asked back.
Ian Kane was momentarily stunned, held her tighter, "Good if you’re not overthinking, I’m really afraid you’ll get hurt again from suspicion, and depression might flare up."
Vera only felt he was utterly hypocritical.
Clearly, he was the one harming her, yet he kept saying he was afraid she’d get hurt!
Was this still the Ian Kane who pursued her for six years, was deeply devoted, and loved her as if she were his life?
Since he had clearly had a change of heart long ago, why painstakingly hide it from her, control her mentally, and even give Nina Sullivan to someone else, refusing to let go?
She understood him less and less.
Vera gently pushed him away, "Let’s eat, tonight I’ll go back to Ardendale with you, the dampness in the mountains makes foot injuries worse."
Ian Kane nodded, in the outer room, he found The Healer of the Southern Clouds in her bag and sprayed it on her.
The man knelt on one knee, holding her right foot in one hand, gently pressing and rubbing with the other, his movements tender and meticulous, as if he were tending to some rare treasure.
Vera thought of the harm he had quietly done to her and felt torn.
At this moment, her phone rang, it was Wendy Donovan calling.
Asking if she had made it home safely.
Vera assured her she was safe.
Wendy Donovan then said, "Vera, I went to the dance company today, Director Chambers mentioned, with your qualifications and performance skills, you could still come over as a guide, it’s just with your mental issues, starring would have to wait. Do you want to come over? I think you should stay in Ardendale, have a good rest, and live well with Ian Kane."
After yesterday’s events, Wendy Donovan only hoped for Vera’s marital happiness.
While Ian Kane went to pick wine, Vera stood by the window alone, listening to her mentor’s words, a sense of hope rose within her again.
She and Ian Kane had been in a divorce cooling-off period, with only 12 days left, they could go straight to the civil affairs office for a divorce.
Outside the window, in the garden pond, a White Swan spread its wings and took flight, light returned to Vera’s eyes, "Teacher, I still want to fight for my career."
Ian Kane entered with an ice bucket just in time to hear her words, a slight frown appeared on his brow, a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.
Vera ended the call and turned around, seeing him.
The man wore dress pants and a shirt, dignified and refined, exuding an aura of restraint.
Privately, he was a habitual cheater.
Ian Kane put the ice bucket on the dining table, walked up to her, "Honey, what were you talking about with Professor Donovan, why are you still discussing work?"
Vera recalled how he deliberately provoked her to break down, intending for her to fail in the competition, and tentatively asked, "Am I not supposed to have career ambitions?"
The corner of the man’s mouth barely twitched, looking down at her right foot, "It’s not that you shouldn’t, I’m worried about the public exposure bringing personal attacks."
"Under the video of you hitting me yesterday, a bunch of people mocked you as the Limping Swan."
Vera recalled the video from yesterday, a prick of pain hit her heart.
Clearly, it was him who had caused her to be ridiculed online.
She also understood he was deliberately prodding her sore spot, undermining her confidence.
Ian Kane saw her face turn pale, took her hand gently, his gaze soft, comforting her, "Honey, don’t be upset, in my eyes, you’re the most perfect, having me is enough."
He was indeed telling the truth.
With those words, he led her to the dining table.
Vera watched his back, her gaze scrutinizing.
He dragged her into the mud, then played the role of her savior.
Vera forcefully broke free from him, blurting out, "Ian Kane, what exactly do you want?!"
She’s going to tear off his mask!
